Planning for
Preassessment
Kathy Paul
Johnston CSD
Johnston, Iowa
Why Plan?
• Establishes the starting point for learning
• Students can’t learn what they already know
• Match instructional strategies to individual
needs
• Saves learning time
• Ensure students have constant challenge
• Proves rationale for your teaching
• Differentiation is not defensible without it
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The Naysayers
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Might lower state test scores.
No time
What would I do with the data anyway?
No money for supplemental materials
I’ve always taught it this way.
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Strong preassessments
reveal
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Starting point for new learning
Base of knowledge
Background experiences
Interests
Attitudes
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How do you accomplish it?
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Introduce topic
Initial teaching
Determine pretest format
Preassess
Analysis
Formation of instructional groups
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How might we instruct
students?
• Let’s look at three scenarios.
From Data Driven Differentiation in
the Standards-Based Classroom( 2004)
Gregory and Kuzmich
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Math Classroom A
• Students are not given a pretest, for
they “need” the next unit. Giving a
preassessment will be a waste of time.
Some students will master the
concepts, some will not, but that is up to
the students. The teacher is certainly
presenting the material so all can learn
if they choose.
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Math Classroom B
• Preassessment is valuable. The teacher
uses an algorithm-based pre and post test.
The class does better after the unit than
before, so it shows learning occurred.
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Math Classroom C
• Small groups of children work on a
problem using some skills from the last
unit, but also some new concepts. The
students have time to work to develop
an approach to solve the problem. The
teacher moves around the room, taking
notes on the process and observing
students.
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The next step
Determining the proper
preassessment
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Consider…
• Not always over an entire unit of
study
• Can be over a concept or learning
objective
• Use in short bursts of time as a
formative assessment to determine
what and how you will teach next
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??? Questions to Ask ???
• What do I know about my students NOW?
• What is the nature and content of the final
assessment for this unit or section?
• What don’t I know about the content
knowledge, critical thinking and process or
skill demonstration of my students?
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Design the preassessment
• To help us learn what is in the gap
between where students are now and
what they need to know for the final
assessment
• We may not know all information, but
we should remember to use what we
already have in place
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Help is on the way!
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Preassessment Tools
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End of unit test
Open-ended question
Journal
Index card
Mind map
Inventories
Letter
Charts
Product or performance
Interview or observation
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End of unit test
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Uses your learning objectives
Find out what child already knows
If already mastered, can gain time
Won’t using “THE TEST” beforehand
give an unfair advantage?
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Tips
• Design the test so
it challenges all
• Plan to cover simple
to complex
• Mix easy and difficult
questions throughout
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Open-ended questions
• A prompt to demonstrate prior knowledge
• Students can respond at their level of
understanding
• Provides valuable information for
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differentiation
Journal
• Allows for personal response to student
• Often includes a prompt:
May describe process
Give examples
Provide reflection
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Index Card
• One card, one task
• Quick way to sort responses
• Again, uses some sort of prompt
– Example: 3-2-1 card (Tomlinson, 2003)
Exit ticket at end of lesson
3 things learned
2 questions still have
1 thing want to learn more about
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For immediate feedback• Write 2-3 possible choices on a card
• Students put their thumb on their choice and
hold it up for teacher to see
• Can assess
Understanding
Feelings
Interests
Chapman and King (2005) Differentiated Assessment Strategies
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Sample choices
• I’ve Got It!
• I’m Clueless!
Love it!
Not a fan
• Understand
• Still Thinking
• Shutting down
Happy face
Straight face
Sad face
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Mind Map
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Visual organizer
Concepts become clear
Allows a way to add new information
Use color, space, lines and words
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Basic understanding
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Deeper Understanding
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Inventories
• Provides a way to see student interest
• Useful when choices are available
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2006 www.clipart.com
Example:
• What do you know about _________?
• How does ____________relate to you?
• What do you want to know about
_____?
• How do you feel about __________?
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Letter
• Note to parents asking about prior
experiences or knowledge
– Insights into strengths
• Serves to inform as to unit structure
• Especially useful for young children
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Chart
K-N-W Chart- Modification of KWL strategy
Knows: Prior skills, knowledge
Needs to Know: current proficiency
Wants to Know: interests, ideas, questions
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Content Knowledge Box
• Learn what student’s know
• Identify misconceptions
• Use categories related to a topic
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Canada
Location
Population
Government Economy
Customs
Food,shelter,
& clothing
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Frayer Diagram
Four sections:
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non-Examples
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Example of a Frayer
Diagram
Definition: A closed plane
bound by 3 or more line
segments
Characteristics: 3 or more line
segments, multiple angles
POLYGON
Examples: square, triangle,
rectangle, quadrangle
Non-Examples: circle, arc
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Product or Performance
• Music teachers do this all the time
• Demonstrates mastery of concept or task
• May be done with whole class or in groups
• Examples:
-Create a graph with stock market data
-Use a microscope to show nucleus of a cell
-Write a haiku
-Make a landscape drawing of a park
-Plot an equation with a graphing calculator
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Interview or Conference
• Talk to students about an experience or
prior knowledge
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Use Readiness of
Experience and Willingness
• Student has interest in a task vs.
experience in a task
• Scale of 1 to 4
– New to task
– Limited experience
– Knows but may need structure
– Knows and wants to do
• Modify your teaching style to assist
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Tap into Multiple
Intelligences
• Visual/Spatial
Mind map
Chart
• Verbal/Linguistic
Interview
Journal
• Logical/Mathematical
Demonstration
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Things to Consider
Explain the function of preassessment
• Students need to know the purpose
• Parents do also
What do you do with the data?
Once you get the data organized, what next?
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Explain Function
• Have to understand how it will benefit all
students
• IF used for more than a chance to
“move ahead” can be effective for all
children-- easier to “sell”
preassessment to classroom teachers
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Using the data
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Analyze the pretest
Compare the data to objectives
Which concepts are mastered?
Can steps be eliminated?
Use to form groups
Give credit for previous mastery
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Adjustable Learning Grid
Differentiation in Standards-Based Classroom (2004, Gregory and Kuzmich)
Content or Skill:
Preassessment tool:
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Document
• Record a grade for preassessment, if
appropriate
• Written record needed
• May use a folder for each child
• Spread sheet or chart
• Use for further reflection or assessment
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A word about grading
• Sometimes work used for “practice” and
not graded
• Short assessments form next instruction
• May be recorded but not used in actual
grade book
• Preassessment grade can be used for
grade book, but often better to report
out after instruction
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The cycle…
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Initial instruction
Preassess
Analyze
Group
Instruct
Assess
… and continue
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Remember:
• What is the most powerful difference
you expect to see?
• How might you identify these
differences in students?
• Use preassessment to increase
effectiveness in instruction!
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Resources
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Adams, Cheryll M. and Rebecca Pierce. Differentiating Instruction. Waco, Texas:
Prufrock Press, 2006.
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Eidson, Caroline, Bob Iseminger, and Chris Taibbi. Demystifying Differentiation in
Middle School. Pieces of Learning, 2007.
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Gregory, Gayle and Carolyn Chapman. Differentiated Assessment Strategies. Thousand
Oaks, California: Corwin Press, 2005.
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Kingore, Bertie. Differentiation: Simplified, Realistic, and Effective. Austin, Texas:
Professional Associates Publishing. 2004.
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Reis, Sally, Debra Burns, and Joseph Renzulli. Curriculum Compacting: The Complete
Guide to Modifying the Regular Curriculum for High Ability Students. Mansfield
Center: CT: Creative Learning Press, 1991
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More references…
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Roberts, Julia L. and Tracy F. Inman. Strategies for Differentiating Instruction.
Waco, Texas: Prufrock Press, 2007.
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Thousand, Jacqueline S., Richard A. Villa, Ann I. Nevin. Differentiating Instruction.
Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, 2007.
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Tomlinson, Carol Ann and Caroline Eidson. Differentiation in Practice, Grades 5-9.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2003.
(Also one for grades K-5 and 9-12)
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Tomlinson, Carol Ann. How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms,
2nd ed. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development,
2001.
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Winebrenner, Susan. Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom, 2nd ed.
Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit, 1999.
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Presenter contact
information
Kathy Paul
Johnston Middle School
PO Box 10
Johnston, Iowa 50131
Kpaul@johnston.k12.ia.us
515-278-0476
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